Longtime Trump adviser to depart White House at month’s end

Taylor Budowich, the White House deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month, Fox News has confirmed. The departure marks the most high-profile staff exit of President Donald Trump’s current White House, and Budowich is returning to the private sector after guiding communications and personnel decisions for the administration.

Budowich’s job gave him broad influence over the West Wing’s messaging strategy and the coordination of activities across cabinet agencies and the Office of Public Liaison. He was named deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel in November 2024, a position that consolidated oversight of the White House communications operation with a hand in staffing and agency coordination as the administration pressed its second-term agenda. Earlier in his career, Budowich served as communications director for Save America PAC and as executive director of MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC. He was a spokesman for Trump during and after the 2020 campaign and testified in the classified documents investigation in 2023.

Budowich’s exit adds to speculation about who might fill his powerful West Wing role as the Trump White House continues shaping its agenda for the remainder of the term. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Budowich did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller, in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, described Budowich as "one of the true MAGA faithful who has poured out his heart for this movement and our President. He is universally admired and respected. No matter the issue or need, his insights and talents are sought after and valued deeply. He is and remains a cherished and loyal ally to us all." Miller added that Budowich’s oversight of the White House’s communications team had been an “incredible success,” noting the administration’s messaging about what it calls historic accomplishments.

Vice President-elect JD Vance said Budowich was "an invaluable asset to this administration and someone I’ve personally relied on countless times during an amazing first year in office." Susie Wiles, the chief of staff, called Budowich "a dear friend" and said the President holds him in high regard. Dan Scavino, a longtime Trump aide, called Budowich "an outstanding American Patriot" and said his dedication to advancing the Make America Great Again agenda made him a vital asset in Trump 2.0.

"Taylor is the kind of person you want by your side in any type of challenge, on any day of the week," Scavino added. "I am grateful for his service to the President and the American People, and I have complete confidence that he will excel in his future endeavors—I wish him the best of luck."

Budowich’s departure comes as the administration continues to shape its messaging strategy in the latter part of its term. While the White House has not announced a replacement, Budowich’s portfolio—merging communications oversight with policy alignment and interagency coordination—has been viewed as a central node in the administration’s ability to present its agenda to the public and to coordinate with external allies.

In addition to his communications duties, Budowich previously oversaw public liaison work across cabinet agencies, a role that made him a frequent point of contact for outside groups seeking to engage with the White House on policy initiatives. His experience in the Trump orbit—spanning campaign, Save America, MAGA Inc., and the White House—placed him at the heart of how the administration framed its second-term priorities for a broad audience.

The White House press corps and political observers will be watching closely for clues about who might assume Budowich’s responsibilities or how the role might be redesigned to fit the administration’s evolving needs. The timing of the departure also raises questions about how the White House plans to maintain its messaging tempo as it approaches the unglamorous but essential work of policy execution and coalition-building.

Budowich did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The former spokesman for Trump during and after the 2020 campaign remains a fixture in the Trump communications ecosystem, and his exit underscores the ongoing turnover within the White House as the former president’s political operation continues to exert influence over the next phase of policy and messaging.